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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23258296">If the stars could tell the stories they've seen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimson_Avenger/pseuds/Crimson_Avenger'>Crimson_Avenger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Concerned Quinlan Vos, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Mess, The Force, Young Obi-Wan Kenobi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:56:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,163</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23258296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimson_Avenger/pseuds/Crimson_Avenger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If the stars could tell the stories they've seen, they would still want to shake up Obi-Wan Kenobi and call him a moron every time he tried one of his reckless plans. That was Quinlan Vos' thoughts on the matter anyway.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Quinlan Vos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>223</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello there to everyone reading this story. This is the first time I am publishing something I've written, to this website. Usually all my stories collect dust as they rot away on my laptop. At the moment it is just a one-shot but I hope to continue it as a full fledged story, based on the response.  I hope a few of you at least enjoy it.</p>
<p>Side note: If Quinlan seems more bitter than you feel to be accurate, I had him characterized like that because in this story, he still recovering from his bout as a servant to the Dark Side of the Force.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>           The Force sang brightly with each step Quinlan took towards the helm of <em>the Negotiator</em>. This ease and lightness from the Force swelled within him a calm he had not felt in many months. His grief on Ventress’ passing had dulled some of that brevity. Obi-Wan was helping him recover and he could never repay his old friend for all the effort he had put into reinstating Quinlan as a member of the Jedi Order.</p>
<p>            This determination to do justice by Kenobi’s side was starting to wane as he continued to eavesdrop on the mission Obi-Wan was being sent on. Several times during the briefing he had wanted to drop down from the maintenance vents into the chief holdings, only to be held back by Obi-Wan’s former Padawan’s Padawan of all people. Both she and her master didn’t seem to feel any shame in hiding up in the vents to spy on the ginger Jedi Master. Quinlan didn’t really blame them though. With the ‘Rako Hardeen’ incident, Obi-Wan had cemented himself as the Jedi with the least self-awareness and self-importance. Quinlan noticed that the clones under Kenobi also kept a stricter eye on him than Skywalker’s or even Aayla’s clones did on their own commanding officers.</p>
<p>            “I wouldn’t send you or your men if I had any other choice, Obi-Wan.” Mace <em>repeated</em> for the second time. <em>Then don’t! You kriffing coward! Go yourself! </em>Quinlan wanted to shout at Mace but restraining his anger was a key part of returning to the Jedi and from the warning glances he was getting from <em>Skywalker</em> of all people, he wasn’t doing a good job at hiding how pissed off he was with the entire Jedi Council.</p>
<p>            “I understand, Master Windu. My men and I will leave tomorrow morning. We will do what we can if the situation permits it.” Obi-Wan responded, tone so evenly measured, Quinlan was sure he hadn’t imagined Mace’s grimace on hearing it. <em>Good</em>, Quinlan thought viciously, <em>you screwed up and Obi knows it.</em></p>
<p>            Obi-Wan turned off the Holo-Pad and sighed. Quinlan gave him exactly one minute to recollect himself before storming out of the vent and entering the chief holdings through the front door. Skywalker hissed at him but he couldn’t be bothered. The only one who could try and call off this madness was Quinlan and he damn well intended to do just that.</p>
<p>            High Jedi General of the Grand Army of the Republic, member of the Jedi Council, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, looked up as soon as he heard the doors open and in that short startled moment, startle that he would not have felt if he hadn’t been exhausted by his conversation with Mace, Quinlan only saw the little sixteen-year-old boy who wasn’t sure he would ever cut it as a Jedi. Quinlan’s anger deflated immediately. He couldn’t blame Obi-Wan. Not really. However, his friend was an idiot who really needed to learn how to say no to someone and Quinlan was going to make sure that Obi-Wan understood that.</p>
<p>            “Hello Master Vos, what brings you to the holdings at this time and hour?” Okay no, Obi-Wan was not going to play this off.</p>
<p>            “Well, I was just enjoying a good meditation when I felt a disturbance in the Force.” Obi-Wan stood up straighter. His face was too practiced at hiding his emotions to let slip anything but Quinlan knew him. Knew that Obi’s real tells were in the way he moved his hand through his hair and looked at someone’s nose rather than meet their eyes.</p>
<p>            “Really? And that brought you all the way out here? I didn’t feel anything of that sort. Perhaps it was a nightmare?”</p>
<p>            Quinlan’s nostrils flared.</p>
<p>“Oh it was a nightmare alright. One in which you agreed to go on a mission to assist Taron kriffing Malicos out of all the cursed Jedi out there.” Quinlan then remembered that Obi-Wan’s Padawan was above them just as the last word left his mouth. Obi would definitely not appreciate having his dirty laundry aired out in front of an audience, especially Skywalker. Well, it was too late for that and frankly, Quinlan didn’t care.</p>
<p>            Obi-Wan gave him a warning look. “You can’t talk about any Jedi like that Quinlan. Even ones as contentious as Malicos.”</p>
<p>            “He is a bastard. Especially to you! You know it. I know it. Sith’s hell, even Mace knows it. That’s why he’s so reluctant about sending you on your own.”</p>
<p>            Obi-Wan threw an unimpressed look at Quinlan this time. “I’m glad your health has improved enough for you to skulk around the ship to eavesdrop on mission assignments.”</p>
<p>            Quinlan would not be deterred. “That wasn’t a mission assignment. That was a death sentence. I just don’t know if the council intends it to be yours or his.”</p>
<p>            “I’m not going to be on my own this time. The entire 212<sup>th</sup> is going to assist him and his troops on Dathomir. You would have been my partner for this mission but considering recent circumstances, I thought that to be an unwise call. Mace agreed in the end.”</p>
<p>            Quinlan translated that to <em>‘Mace finally gave in to my moronic request to go solo because he had no better alternative and I’m using it to guilt trip you into letting me carry out said moronic request.’</em></p>
<p>            Quinlan cursed, not for the first time, Qui-Gon Jinn and his ridiculously high standards that turned Obi into this self-sacrificing goody two-shoes.</p>
<p>            “He must have suggested Skywalker in my place then.” Quinlan remembered Mace’s face when the two of them had found Obi-Wan all those years ago covered in lightsaber burns. They couldn’t make any of the charges stick because Malicos was a clever son of a Bantha, Obi-Wan refused to talk and Qui-Gon was in his own world as always. Obi’s bright blue <em>tear-filled </em>eyes as he told Mace in a bland tone that ‘nothing was wrong, he had just been clumsy during lightsaber practice’, while bleeding from three different areas was still imprinted in Quinlan’s mind.</p>
<p>            “Yes, Mace did. I rejected his suggestion.” Obi wasn’t even bothering to pretend that he didn’t like the situation anymore. He had turned back to the holo-table, going through the datapads Mace had probably just sent.</p>
<p>            “Why did you do that, Master Kenobi?” Quinlan kept his tone deceptively calm as well. No need for Skywalker and Tano to get worked up.</p>
<p>            “You know why.”</p>
<p>            “Do I?”</p>
<p>            Obi-Wan turned off the datapad abruptly and turned back to Quinlan. All his mental shields were still in place but his eyes finally told a different story. They were too wide and his pupils were dilated. He really did not want to face Malicos again. He did not want his Padawan or grand-Padawan around Malicos either. They never know how long a mission on a planet lasts and if this one got extended, Malicos would have his time to sink his claws into the little Togruta and that was not something anyone wanted.</p>
<p>            “It shouldn’t take long. Malicos already has most of the Separatists troops on the run. We would just be the final pincer attack. We should be back on Coruscant within a few weeks. A month at most. Anakin and Ahsoka will have more important missions to handle within that time frame. Mace even said that he would arrive as soon as possible to assist if things took too long to settle.” How long was too long would depend on the Jedi Council’s definition but Quinlan decided not to fret too much about it because Mace probably disliked this situation almost as much as he did. Quinlan cursed his broken arm and the lingering presence of the Dark Side once again before trying to release those emotions to the Force.</p>
<p>            The Force was still disturbed, twisting around Obi-Wan and trying to envelope him entirely but it was also telling Quinlan to back off. This was the will of the Force then. Obi-Wan finally looked Quinlan in the eyes and smiled wanly. “I thank you for your concern, dear friend. General Malicos of the 150<sup>th</sup> Attack Battalion is a revered leader among his men. I will do my best to assist him and return Dathomir to the Republic. If, by any unfortunate circumstance, I fail to do so, I hope you will send Mace a well expressed ‘I told you so’.”</p>
<p>            Quinlan snarled at that and gripped Obi-Wan by the collar of his beloved linen robes. “Do not even joke about that. One word that you somehow didn’t survive and Malicos did, and I will cut off his head. No questions asked. Kriff the Jedi Order.”</p>
<p>            Obi-Wan pushed Quinlan off his person gently, keeping his friend’s injuries in mind. “A poorly timed joke. I apologise. I only meant to ease your mind Quin. I have, hopefully, matured since our Padawan days enough to handle whatever Malicos throws my way, if at all he even does try to hinder my troops, which I find unlikely, considering that we are in the middle of a war and that is not the right time or place for his little games.”</p>
<p>            Quinlan snorted loudly. “Because he’s known for being considerate about the time and place while playing his ‘little games’. Your job is to protect your clones. We can’t have a repeat of Rangoon VI now can we.”</p>
<p>            This was the statement that finally tipped Obi-Wan’s temperament. Accuse him for being absent-minded about his own well-being all you want and it will be like talking to an Anvilstone. Accuse of not taking care of his troops or their needs and he suddenly lights up like a Kyber Crystal who has found its Jedi.</p>
<p>            “What happened on Rangoon VI was an oversight on my part. The 212<sup>th</sup> will not fall victim to an oversight like that. I will ensure it.”</p>
<p>            <em>Sure, it was an oversight on your part because in your hurry to do some actual Jedi training, you forgot to put bacta on your injuries caused by your other ‘Jedi training’.</em> Quinlan did not snarl at Obi-Wan this time. This was an old argument between the two. He only brought it up to rile Obi-Wan. A job well done, if his rod-like stance and tight-clenched fists were any indication.</p>
<p>            Quinlan sighed inwardly. The Force was comforting <em>him</em>. Great. It seemed that Obi-Wan’s stubbornness would even bend the Force around him now. Qui-Gon should definitely feel proud of transferring that trait to his former Padawan.</p>
<p>            Heart still aching from thinking of all the ones he has lost over the years, Ventress, Master Tholme, Master Jinn, his parents, Aayla for those few horrific years, he worried that Obi-Wan would be the next name on that list. He worried that his brief stint in the Dark Side would extend with the loss of this old friend.</p>
<p>            Pushing those fears and worries into the Force, he took a moment to assess his friend. Obi-Wan was right. He was as far from young naïve Padawan 'Oafy-Wan' as he could be and Quinlan owed it to him to have the chance to face Malicos on his own terms now.</p>
<p>            “Okay Kenobi. Have it your way. You won’t hear any more from me on this matter.” The tension left so quickly from Obi-Wan’s body that Quinlan almost felt bad for partly causing some of that tension.</p>
<p>            “Thank you Quin. I will see you again when I return. We have a few bottles of Corellian whiskey to open up. May the Force be with you.” Obi-Wan smiled with that crinkle in his eye and Quin lost all the remaining annoyance at his friend too.</p>
<p>            “I’ll hold you to that, Kenobi. May the Force be with you.” He mock-saluted the ginger Jedi as he walked out of the holding room, most likely going to inform his Clone commander of their new orders. Quinlan leaned back against the wall for a moment, waiting. Soon enough, Skywalker and Tano dropped down from the vents. Skywalker scrutinised Quinlan for a moment and Quinlan finally understood all the hubbub about this ‘Chosen One’ and the ‘Prophecy’. The Force swirled around his every motion. Clinging to him, claiming him as its favoured son. Quinlan who had just antagonised this precious boy’s master lost all previous favour with the Force as soon as this boy dropped in.</p>
<p>            “Are you going to explain what just happened in this room?” The boy may be a general, but that was not the tone you took with a Jedi Master, even one who had just returned to the Light.</p>
<p>            “Nope.” Quinlan responded as he walked out of the chief holdings. Meditation completely disturbed, he would need to find another way to spend the next few hours before daybreak. Hopefully some of Bly’s friends on this ship knew how to play a good game of Sabacc.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Few Helmets Short of a Rack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The 212th troopers don't seem to like Dathomir any more than their commanding officers.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello there to everyone reading this!<br/>I didn't really know if I was going to leave this work as a one shot or not but now here is another chapter!<br/>Who thought that was going to be a reality? Not me, that's who.</p>
<p>This happened because a comment on the previous chapter (it really excites me to say that!) inspired to me to get back to work and this is the result.<br/>I would like to thank everyone who has liked the previous chapter and hope they give this chapter a read as well.</p>
<p>Constructive criticism is always appreciated! Be as harsh as you want. I can take it! </p>
<p>Now after that long ramble, I present to you Chapter 2.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How long ago did this happen?” Boil winced at Cody’s tone. The commander had enough on his plate now with all the recent mission adjustments. The last thing he needed were missing troopers.</p>
<p>“Commander-” Boil started but was quickly silenced by Cody’s hand signal.</p>
<p>“Answer me trooper. How long ago did the two prisoners give you the slip?” For the umpteenth time, Boil wished Waxer was here. Wished he had a <em>vod</em> he could commiserate with. One that wasn’t an overworked commander or an inexperienced shiny. Wooley had been missing since breakfast so he didn’t have to watch this dressing down either.</p>
<p>Boil handed it to Pop though. The shiny was holding his ground against Cody’s intimidating gaze. Boil watched on as Pop tried to deliver his report as neutrally as he could but the pauses in his speech as he tried to frame it gave him away.</p>
<p>Boil also watched Cody’s expression steadily become more furious.</p>
<p>When Pop was done, Cody took a moment to rearrange his expression. His tone was so evenly measured that it made Boil twitch his lips in amusement but bite down on it immediately. Pop would take it as a sign that he could relax and not the sign of pity for Boil having been in those same shoes once.</p>
<p>“Now trooper, correct me if I have misunderstood any part of your report.” Boil’s eyebrows twitched this time because he knew this old trick.</p>
<p>“You allowed General Malicos to take Easy Company on an unsanctioned expedition into uncharted territory close to the Nightbrothers village when we have received orders from our General to evacuate our troops?” The emphasis of the word ‘our’ made Boil wince internally. He did understand Pop’s plight. Malicos was a force to be reckoned with and he didn’t allow disobedience or any questioning of his orders.</p>
<p>Commander Cody wasn’t done.</p>
<p>“You then hid that information when directly questioned about it by Captain Boil. Then, when General Malicos returned, missing three troopers from Easy, you still did not inform your commanding officer. Instead you forged their signatures on the arrival log book and carried about your day. Do I have a general gist of the events that led to the actual disaster of losing prisoners that were not supposed to be captured in this time of brokering peace?”</p>
<p>Pop, sad vod that he was, tried to defend himself. “I followed General Malicos’ instructions sir. I did not know the mission was not commissioned and he promised that he would go back to get Cal and the other-”</p>
<p>“Are you informing me of another unsanctioned mission, trooper? When was this retrieval supposed to take place? Considering that we are supposed to leave Dathomir today, in one hour, is General Malicos planning on staying back by himself to free the men, if they are alive at all, or is he going to sacrifice you this time?” That was crossing a line, Boil had to intervene now.</p>
<p>Pop took the decision out of his hands.</p>
<p>“I don’t know sir but that’s why I told you about it in the first place. I was hoping you could do something about it. Cal is my batch mate, if I lost him…” Pop regained control and stood at attention again.</p>
<p>Cody’s eyes were merciless.</p>
<p>“That is something you should have considered telling me about before watching him ride out to face his probable death.”</p>
<p>Cody turned away from the trooper, focusing on something on the shelf behind him, conveniently missing Pop’s stricken face but Boil could now turn and glare at him without restraint.</p>
<p>Cody paused and sighed before turning back to the shiny, his expression more resigned.</p>
<p>“The departure of <em>the Negotiator</em> has been pushed back by six hours. Ghost Company set out for the Nightbrothers village one hour ago. The goal of the mission was to give the Nightbrothers one last offer to join the Republic. Any stragglers found on the way shall be brought in. Do you understand Private?” </p>
<p>Pop, surprisingly, did not look relieved. “What about General Malicos, sir?”</p>
<p>Cody’s jaw tightened and Boil understood, his stomach a seat of dread, why exactly Cody was so kriffing annoyed.</p>
<p>“The 150<sup>th</sup> Battalion will depart in accordance with the schedule. The 212<sup>th</sup> Battalion will leave at 23:00 hours in accordance with General Malicos’ suggestion to allot them more time for clean up.” Boil knew it was a quote of the actual orders and he could see that Pop understood that as well, judging from the guilt on his face.</p>
<p>“Sir, I would never have-”</p>
<p>“Save it, private. I’ve had a long day and we’re all about to have a long night. You will report to scrub duty for the next 6 months. I also expect you to assist in the cleaning of every single returning member of Easy and Ghost Company’s weapons for the next two weeks.”</p>
<p>As far as punishments for insubordination went, that was far lighter than the private deserved. Pop didn’t question it. His eyes widened in surprise but he apparently didn’t trust his tongue to do anymore good for him.</p>
<p>“Sir, yes, sir.” He said and saluted the Commander.</p>
<p>“Dismissed, trooper.” Pop left without another word.</p>
<p>Boil hadn’t been dismissed and he most certainly did not have a good feeling about it.</p>
<p>“Boil.”</p>
<p>“Cody.”</p>
<p>“Which part of what I just told trooper Pop was a lie?”</p>
<p>Boil was caught off-guard. He didn’t know. He suspected it had something to do with Wooley being absent for longer than Ghost Company had apparently been set out for. Ghost Company was good but Cody wouldn’t send them off without Boil or Cody himself in the lead. Wooley would do well but as a sniper, he wasn’t suited for this particular sting operation.</p>
<p>Unless…</p>
<p>“How much of this does General Kenobi know about, sir?” That was the right question. Boil could tell, from the slip up in Cody’s neutral expression, he wasn’t too far off.</p>
<p>It didn’t make him feel much better.</p>
<p>Cody finally sat down behind his desk and Boil took that as permission to sit as well. The table between them seemed to speak more than Boil was comfortable in thinking about. Cody was his <em>vod</em>. With Rex being light years away, it was Boil’s job to look out for Cody and he knew Cody did the same for him.</p>
<p>“Considering that it was Malicos’ bragging about his troops superior competence over the 212<sup>th</sup> at today’s morning briefing, I’d say the General knows enough.”</p>
<p>Boil frowned. From everything he’d gleaned about the 150<sup>th</sup> Jedi General, this seemed out of character. The man liked snubbing Kenobi snidely, direct attacks were not his MO, it gave General Kenobi just enough room to play the Negotiator.</p>
<p>Cody seemed to understand Boil’s confusion.</p>
<p>“General Kenobi being unaware of the entire operation did not help.” Ah, Boil saw the expected jibe now.</p>
<p>“What did the General do?”</p>
<p>“Questioned Easy men about it, informed the Jedi High Council that the 212<sup>th</sup> departure would be delayed and then rode off into the ravines with the Ghost troopers he could find about three hours ago.”</p>
<p>Boil smartly caught the other lie.</p>
<p>“Three hours ago.”</p>
<p>“You heard me.”</p>
<p>“The medics informed the General yesterday that he was not to exert himself for a full day.”</p>
<p>“I am quite aware Captain.”</p>
<p>“Sir, with all due respect, why was I kept in the dark about this?”</p>
<p>The unspoken question of <em>why aren’t we with the rest of Ghost Company, Cody?  </em>was noticed, if Cody’s constrained expression was to be understood correctly.</p>
<p>“Kenobi decided that the two of us should remain here and handle the transportation details of the troops.” Which in Kenobi-speak translated to <em>I’m going to do something reckless, someone needs to ensure the men get back safely if I don’t return.</em></p>
<p>“Yes sir.”</p>
<p>Again, the unspoken question of <em>why did you allow that idiocy, Cody?</em>  was noticed and Boil wondered if Cody’s face would be stuck in that pinched expression even after the war.</p>
<p>“If they do not return in three hours, we will send out a search party. Beyond that, I cannot do much in the face of a direct order, Boil.”</p>
<p>“Yes sir.” This time the acquiesce was understanding.</p>
<p>“You may return to your duties, Captain.”</p>
<p>Boil saluted and turned around. He had contingency plans of his own to make. Wooley would not be allowed to sacrifice himself for one of Malicos’ antics. Boil wouldn’t be able to handle losing another vod.</p>
<p>He couldn’t.</p>
<p>Two hours later, when the General returned with all of Ghost company in a relatively unharmed condition but only 2 of the Easy men, neither of them being a ‘Cal’, the rest of the 212<sup>th</sup> quickened their pace of packing up and <em>the Negotiator</em> was boarded and headed towards Coruscant in less than 3 hours.</p>
<p>Boil went looking for trooper Pop but found him talking to Cody. From the deadened look in his eyes, it was the obvious that Cody had just broken the news to the private.</p>
<p>Boil soon found himself to be largely unoccupied for a few hours. A rarity he would not pass up. After forcing Cody to get a few hours of rest, he ended up in nearly-desolate meal bay, restless and starving.</p>
<p>Finding a spot for himself, he sat down and chowed down the forgettable ration bar and tried to erase this entire expedition to Dathomir from his mind. Boil had seen his share of terrible commanding officers over his tenure as a trooper, Pong Krell having the honor of being the worst, but something about Malicos had just ticked off the entire Attack Battalion. No one had said anything, mainly because no one really knew if there was anything to say, but Boil had sensed the unease in the air anytime Malicos was around General Kenobi or Cody. Probably because the man had a way with finding exactly the right words to poke at both the General and the Marshall Commander. Boil didn’t want to think about the mission or its officers anymore-</p>
<p>“May I sit here Boil?”</p>
<p>Boil quickly looked up on hearing the Coruscanti accent.</p>
<p>The middle of the cafeteria on <em>the Negotiator</em> is not where most of his briefings took place but Boil could hardly call the General out on trying to optimize his time.</p>
<p>“Of course General. What can I do for you?”</p>
<p>Kenobi waved his hand dismissively, “You’ve already provided me with refuge from Trez, that is more than enough.”</p>
<p>Boil raised one eyebrow, forgetting protocol and the inner voice in his head that now permanently sound like Waxer.</p>
<p>“Should I really be helping you avoid the medic, sir?”</p>
<p>Kenobi looked up from his plate long enough to throw one of his ‘winning’ smiles at Boil before saying, “Well, Captain, as your commanding officer I would say you would be doing your duty by listening to me.” He then let go of the ‘Negotiator’ face before looking abash and continuing, “As a comrade-in-arms, I would hope you would assist me in my endeavor to avoid a few bacta sessions more than I think are required.”</p>
<p>Boil’s lips twitched.</p>
<p>“I don’t think you and Trez will ever agree on how many bacta patches you require, sir.”</p>
<p>“Yes, that does seem to be part of the problem, doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>The two shared a quick childish grin, which Boil will swear till his dying day was an actual incident that took place, even if Fives and Echo never believe him, before returning to their meals and occasionally breaking the silence with questions about the rest of the troopers or future missions.</p>
<p>Tragedies of yesterday were to be added to a list that became longer as the war continued. Never forgotten but not to be brooded on in these times when hope was the fuel that carried them through to the next day and the future days to come.</p>
<p>Boil would worry about all that he and his vods had sacrificed for an Order that didn’t even completely see them as individuals at a later time. For now, he would enjoy the company of one of the few that did.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All my military knowledge comes from Band of Brothers.<br/>So if this chapter seemed rushed or if something isn't clear or accurate, please do let me know in the comments.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little trivia about when in the Star Wars canon this takes place:<br/>Sometime after Quinlan returns Ventress' body to Dathomir (according to the Dark Disciple books) in the last year of the war (19 BBY)<br/>A change made to canon: Taron Malicos is a character from the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order game. According to canon, he has never met Obi-Wan, Quinlan or Mace. I've just used him as the antagonist of this story because I didn't like him in the game and his character fit with what I had in mind for the antagonist.</p>
<p>Please let me know what you thought about the story. I am eager to hear feedback! Criticism of all kinds is accepted.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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